


If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me

by Elri



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: Kelvin Timeline
Genre: Best Friends, Gen, Missing Scene, Platonic Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-24
Updated: 2016-08-24
Packaged: 2018-08-08 23:55:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7778593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elri/pseuds/Elri
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim and Bones take a moment to say what's been left unsaid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If this is the end of me, at least I have a friend with me

**Author's Note:**

> Set after the Battle of Yorktown (and yes, the title is from the Hamilton song) but before the party.
> 
> Not sure if this has already been done and I would have posted this sooner but SOMEONE (oopsabird) had to be off doing a job she loves or some shit like that and didn't see the movie until now.  
> People were pointing out that Jim keeps thanking Spock for saving his life but not Bones and since the good doctor is my favorite I wanted to give him some love.  
> Since the writers of Beyond said they'd be ignoring Into Darkness I decided I would as well which is why there's no reference to Jim dying that one time and how much it clearly broke McCoy's heart.

The crew of the fallen _Enterprise_ had mostly chosen to stay at Yorktown while the new ship was underway. Some had taken the unexpected extended shore leave to go home or visit other places but the senior officers were all together at the base. Kirk and McCoy had spent a good portion of their days just hanging out in the captain's temporary quarters, talking about everything and anything they could think of. It had been a while since the two friends had had this much time to themselves. During a lull in the conversation, Jim fell into a 'deep thought' kind of silence. Bones watched him while sneaking a peek at the time, hoping he could still stall until the birthday surprise was all in place. He couldn't help but think that the bruising under Jim's eye made him look like the scrappy young recruit he'd met on the shuttle to the Academy, while at the same time making him look much older. Or maybe that was the new wisdom in the young captain's eyes.

 

"Bones," Jim finally broke the silence, leaning forward and clasping his hands together, "I know I don't say it enough, but thank you."

 

"Aw, Jim, you don't have to-"

 

"Yes, I do. I don't want to leave things unsaid until it's coming down to the wire and then run out of time." Bones didn't have a response to that so he let Jim keep going. "You're my best friend, and you're the best friend I've ever had. I kept asking Spock, 'what would I do without you,' but I don't ask you that because I don’t want to know. I don’t even want to think about it. When I threw myself into Starfleet I was determined to prove everybody wrong. But I never had to prove anything to you. You were just as screwed up as I was, no offense, and we grabbed onto each other, refusing to let go. If you hadn’t been there to keep me anchored, I might have gotten lost. The one thing I know for sure, though, is that I wouldn't be here without you. I wouldn't have this life that I love if you hadn't snuck me onto the _Enterprise_ that day at the Academy."

 

It was a good thing Bones was already sitting down because, as the reality of what might never have been sunk in, he started to feel a little light-headed. After a moment, his mouth turned up into a wry grin, "Well, we all make mistakes. And I'm stuck with the consequences of mine for another two years."

 

"You could always request a transfer." He was joking of course but, as always, his eyes betrayed him, letting the fear that Bones might actually leave slip through.

 

"Nah, they'd order me back because no one else would be willing to put up with your stupid ass. Plus, I'd miss out on being able to hypo you when you're being obnoxious." Jim didn't stick his tongue out at that but it was a near thing. Bones's expression softened into something sincere, "Besides, I'd miss you. I don't think I'd know what to do with a captain that actually calls me by my title."

 

"I'd miss you too," Jim smiled softly, "What would I do without you?"

 

“Something stupid to get me running back here to yell at you.”

 

“Love you, Bones.”

 

"Love you too, kid." He glanced at the clock again and rose to his feet with a stretch, “Come on, let's go see what there is to do on this blasted base."

 

"Come on, Bones, it's not that bad." They grabbed their jackets and headed out, trading when they realized they'd grabbed the wrong ones.

 

"Yes, it is. I don't know what's worse, the floating snow globe or the vacuum sealed tin can."

 

"Don't let Scotty hear you say that."

 

"That man was stuck on a frozen wasteland that I'm sure is an exact replica of the ninth circle of Hell, he's happy to be anywhere that's not there; even if it is the hellscape of space. Two more years, God help us."

 

"Can you imagine what we’ll find?"


End file.
